Canadian Cardinal denounces anti-Semitic violence

Toronto, Canada, Apr 12, 2004 / 12:00 am (CNA).- Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, Archbishop of Toronto, recently sent a public letter to the Toronto Board of Rabbis, denouncing the anti-Semitic vandalism on Jewish homes and in a Jewish cementery in Toronto, which began March 14.

In his letter to Rabbi Martin Berman, the Cardinal quoted Pope John Paul II, saying “the Church utterly condemns anti-Semitism and every form of racism as being altogether opposed to the principles of Christianity.”

The Cardinal also described the incidences as “violations of fundamental human rights,” which are “never acceptable, in any place, in any time, for any reason.”

Toronto has Canada’s largest Jewish population and reported 54 percent of the anti-Jewish incidents in Canada. Montreal was second with 17.5 percent.